SALE'S 100 point romp with Bristol at Heywood Road on Saturday was, according to Martin Shaw, "crazy". And he loved every minute of it!

The centre's first ever hat-trick in the Zurich Premiership helped Sale's bid to finish the season second only to champions Leicester, but it was seat of the pants stuff for the fans.

"At half-time it looked as though we were going to run away with it when we led 28-13," he said.

"I thought Bristol would come out with their heads down in the second half, but that didn't happen.

"Instead, their big forwards started charging about while we were just sitting back in an armchair.

'Proud of the second'

"They came right back into it and it was a relief to get my second try, which sparked another good spell for us. My first try, early in the game, came about when a Stu Pinkerton pass found me in space. But I was quite proud of that second try.

"The plan had been to get the ball to Jason Robinson from a scrum in midfield but Bristol put two extra people over in defence so fly-half Charlie Hodgson cancelled the move and gave the ball to me instead.

"I went around Jason Little and then sidestepped their full-back, Lee Best, to score.

"For the third, they expected us to run the ball so Charlie kicked instead and it stood up really well for me and I was over in the corner and round under the sticks."

If Sale can produce the same brand of running rugby against Saracens on Friday then the spectators are in for a treat.

Robinson magic

They took their tries well and, as one fan put it, one run by Robinson was alone worth the admission money.

He didn't score but ripped Bristol to shreds.

Confronted by three opponents he simply slowed to walking pace and then accelerated through the smallest of gaps to launch into one of his dancing routines that simply spread-eagled the cover.